Chapter 4:

Underneath The Christmas Tree

-x-

Okay so first of, I kinda forgot to mention about the first two chapters, that I did research about wine glasses and yeah, so there. You can google if you want regarding them and tell me about what you think of Levi's choice for Hange.

Second, I am terribly sorry for posting late. Exams came up and completion of requirements came right immediately so I don't have any other choice but to post later than my scheduled release of uploads of chapters in this fic. Horrible.

Levi's POV

-x-

This is not actually the first time I am fucking doing this but I have to admit, this is fun and a bit more exciting than the previous years. But of course, I wouldn't say such shit towards them.

The brats were already decorating the entire headquarters when I passed by the corridors to have some tea downstairs.

Hah. It sure is cold. I felt like warming myself with some cup of hot tea so I decided to go down and have one. I left my room and passed the hallway.

The brats were busy placing those sparkling shenanigans all over the very top of the ceilings and eve placed some kind of angels like some sort of piñata to be hit. I hope they asked permission from Erwin first regarding all these decorating shit, they're already making a huge mess everywhere.

I saw the very notable three best of friends, and that blonde 'lil brat named Armin was sure is something. Eren and Mikasa were serious about decorating hallways as Eren brings in every box of decorations and Mikasa will take out everything from the box and hand them one by one to Armin. The blonde will then go up and down the ladder and exchanges role with Eren. Compared to Eren and Mikasa, Armin was all smiles and shit, too full of energy, just like Hanji.

Urgh. I shrugged.

Her.

Hanji.

I wonder how her wine glasses were, and her. Where is she anyway? I haven't noticed her around and for the pass days. I sure do hope she's not slipping and shit.

"Heichou!" it's the ever green eyed titan freak kid Eren. Even if I have despise him before, I cannot deny that he is still considered as humanity's remaining hope to help exterminate the titans and should be treated properly well. And now, he sure looks happy screaming my name, I mean, my title.

"Would you like to help us decorate here?" he pointed towards some hideous boxes and I raised a brow.

"It's a Christmas Tree Heichou, I mean, it's decorations" that blonde Armin butted in, smiling like usual. Damn, why does he always need to smile? It makes me feel so… different than them.

I glared at them and the three of them looked like some busted kids, even Mikasa pursed her lips tight into a thin line. The others at the other part of the hall were also looking at us waiting for my answer. Why is my answer such a big thing anyway? I shuddered.

"Fine." I said finally. "But I will expect some tea after I helped." Maybe I'll find helping a good thing with these brats.

Mikasa smiled and Eren jumped and Armin grinned, his ball fist up in the air. Seriously? Is my answer such that a really big thing for them?

"Yes sir!" Armin gleefully replied, a big high in tone of his voice.

I smirked suddenly for their unexpected reactions, they act as though they don't slay titans at all. Armin and Eren walked with me towards the huge pile of boxes and opened one by one as Armin helped him. I watched in tense for some possible cockroach that could possibly pop out all of a sudden and another run expected shitty thing might happen to me again. I got seriously terrifies and traumatized with what had happened with Olou and the cockroach in my room the past days. This time, it might come up to me and these brats might kill it right on my chest if ever it comes right at me. There would be no fucking way that I'll be allowing that. Luckily, there isn't any fucking cockroach that came out of any of the boxes.

I gently bent my knees and helped the two open the boxes and what I saw irritated me. It was the decorations of the Christmas tree, golden and silver balls everywhere, some garlands, I hope I was correct, those worm like decorations that are quite itchy if held, some candles and a big ass star. I looked at the spot where the Christmas tree was supposed to stand and found it empty. Only the curtains and other decorations behind the spot were there.

Some idiotic crap these kids are sometimes.

"Tell me, where is the Christmas tree?" I asked in bewilderment.

Armin and Eren just looked at each other and laughed a bit to themselves.

"You see Heichou, ahm maybe you could help us trip one down?" Armin stated, laughing a bit shyly, scratching his head.

I closed my eyes and shook it side to side. Armin's smile went down and Eren's expression changed into something like he had just lost a betting. "You brats sure a idiots at times too." I told them and they looked at me like some disapproving parent.

I sighed. "Tell me where I can knock a tree down" I continued and their faces immediately brightened. "And tell Ackerman to bring me an axe." I chose to had Mikasa to trouble herself and bring some fucking big ass axe since her friends were the only ones who were troubling themselves to have me join there festive decorations festive. The girl gave me hard glare but her pasted smile returned. Damn, sometimes she's a bit annoying, just like her friends, though in different ways.

In just a quick second, Armin came out running but now sported his self with some scarf and gloves and then we all headed outside the castle and went towards the nearby forest. Armin took his time finding a glorious tree to cut then he was joined by Eren. Mikasa only joined them when Armin asked her to.

They looked really new to me. These brats, once they are in the field of slaying titans, they had different expressions worn in their faces. Eren looked like he's always about to turn into a fucking ass titan anytime while Mikasa's face is all about killing anyone who harms Eren while Armin's face is like a determined and ever willing sidekick who wanted to be of help. Well, that was during when we're on a hunt or a mission against titans but now, it's a whole new different tale for them.

I shut my eyes and felt the cold of each snow drop on my face and once I've opened my eyes and looked at these brats, they all looked like some children roaming around the forest playing hide and seek. Eren's face is full of that shitty smile of his as he looked in amazement with every tree as he observe each one of them (As if there is something new to be really amazed at those trees) while Mikasa became soft with her movements, following the two around, agreeing as she nods her head and acting up like some soft girl she was and Armin is still all smiles and his eyes are full innocence and just pure happiness as he touched the trees' trunks and look up to see their leaves.

"Levi Heichou!" Armin shouted as Eren was waving at me widely. I guess they found the right tree to be cut don as the HQ's Christmas tree and it should be great. I don't want risking my ass getting cold in here for some weak and undesirable looking tree to be brought down and inside the HQ.

I smirked and went towards them, clutching the axe on my hand real hard.

All of the eyes of those three were on me as I kicked the tree twice a bit. They were shocked at first but calmed down when I told them the reason why. I chuckled as how they looked so shocked. "This better be a strong one."

I kicked and felt the tree with my bare hands. Since this was sudden, I don't have my gloves with me and feel the trunk of the tree with my bare hands. It was alright, not that rough and its smoothness was alright, I thought. With one hit along its lowest possible part of trunk, just above its roots, I managed to cut it by one-third of its trunk and with just two more hit with the axe, it fell just easily. I turned to look at the axe that I have on my hand, good thing it sure is strong.

The three watched as I hit it then followed with their eyes on how the tree falls to the ground, some snow splurging on me right on the face. Fucking. Gross. Snow plus some dirty mud ground is not a good combination. I swiped it off with my hand.

Armin run along the tree with a rope on his hand and did his best to tie it around its lower part while Eren came to give him a hand. Mikasa slowly made her way towards Armin's side and was the one to tie it hard. When they all seemed set, they gave me a warm look and held the rope thightly on their hands and went to me, pulling the tree with them.

"Good job Heichou!" Eren said on top of his lungs. Seriously, I am not fond of such loud compliments, it breaks my ears. "Wrecking the tree off its roots with just three hits!"

"Trunk" Armin mumbled.

"Eren, Heichou should be able to that. He is the strongest man alive, why wouldn't he be able to do such a thing if he wasn't given that title?" Mikasa sure knows how make my teeth grit together.

She did looked at me and I gave her a raised brow. Eren just looked at her in disbelief while Armin can't help himself laughing. I let the two argue like some idiotic couples of some shit.

"So Eren doesn't no longer need to transform into a big ass titan just to pick this tree and placed it i the HQ." The two finally stopped bickering at each other, they are seriously deafening my ears with their voices. Having them quiet for a while is quite nice.

I felt my breath released out even colder from my nose and I fear that if I stayed further out here, I might have some trouble breathing and might force myself to breathe on my nose instead, which is total shit. They continued to argue with such little thing as we made our way back towards the HQ and we saw how the sun was almost down.

Fucking cold, I shivered and clasped my hands and tucked them closer to my body. Damn I need that tea.

By the time we went inside, the two finally let their argument down. Finally my ears could rest from their noise. The others were already almost done with their decorating and I suppose these three are about to start decorating the Christmas Tree before dinner even starts.

I looked at them as they assembled the tree and I decided to give them a hand for making it stand up and stable, while Mikasa looked like she was having fun looking at the box that we had left moments ago with the dozens of decorations inside for the tree.

Argh, I don't even get why this tree is important, maybe because the gifts are to be kept here until our night of celebrating the Christmas Eve and everyone just adored looking at each other's gifts.

I let out a snort under my nose, I remember how that would also be the eve of my birthday. Really nice.

I held the tree firmly with Eren as Armin was the one who thought about how to make it stand properly by the corner of the HQ hall without having it any chance to fall. Damn, it wouldn't be a good sight if it fall. Armin would surely cry because the decorations that they have placed on it would also be torn down together with it. A chuckle suddenly wanted to crept out of my dried throat so I tried to bit my lip hard as I can and look at the other side.

I took a hard long look at the tree, trying to make sure that it will really won't fall after days of standing on its own. Well of course, the three then started going over the boxes and took some flashy decorations to be used for the tree. Eren Started out taking out some sparkling balls out of the box and observed at each one with delight on his eyes while Armin took out some angel looking knicknacks to be placed hanging on the tree too. Mikasa in turn, grabbed a hold on some of the garlands and playfully placed them on her shoulders like some shawl and turned around a few times, smiling in delight. Huh. Girls are girls no matter how fierce they are. She even took a couple of lights trying to check if it goes well with the garlands.

The three of them worked side by side, placing everything on the tree together. It was a bit tough job for them since the tree was a bit big than usual, maybe that's why Armin suddenly looked at me and held me by the shoulders lightly, a move I realize that he rarely maybe never used to me and lead me towards the tree. Without knowing, my stupid feet followed Armin despite my inner side not wanting to. I swear I don't have great Christmas Tree decorating skills but I hope I'll do fine with this.

I looked at the tree first, trying to analyze of what kind of decorating I am to do when Armin then handed me a brown haired angel knickknack and I carefully looked around the tree without thinking of what the hell I was doing and found a perfect spot, right in the middle of the tree where there are less decorations around, making my very first spangle of a brown haired angel get emphasized with its beauty. It has long rich brown hazel hair, pure white skin and a gorgeous set of wings.

What the fuck, I just complimented an angel knickknack. I groaned. Luckily, there was a not really dirty cloth just nearby and swiped the dust off from it, making clear of its white color and blew a bit of it. Somehow, I felt that I'm contented of it being clean now than a while ago.

I looked over by my right and saw Eren a bit smiling amused, really focusing on what he is doing while just grabbed a ladder and had it stood still beside the other side and immediately stand over it and placed the garlands around the tree, followed by the lights. Geeez, that girl sure is something. She took the more manly job and left me, Eren and Armin into a more girly work, placing all the knickknack decorations around the massive tree. Somehow, I found placing all the knickknacks a bit easier than I thought since the rope above it has a bit big of a hole so we can just easily had it hook on the leaves of the tree.

After like some thirty minutes, we were almost half-way done when Eren's fucking stomach started to grumble and my eyes quickly glared at him and down to his rumbling stomach while Mikasa too, did pretty much the same.

Mikasa shook her head back and forth and took Eren's left hand, earning her his pissed off eyes, wondering in confusion of why holding his hand all of a sudden.

"We should grab some dinner from the hall, you're already hungry."

"But we can't just-"

"I know Eren, I mean, we should grab some dinner and bring it here instead." Mikasa told him and pulled him again away from the tree, dangling ball on his hand about to place it on the leaves.

I only looked at them and thought of her proposed idea, which I'm not even sure if it's legal but I just let them do their shit. Me and Armin was then left alone as Mikasa dragged Eren towards the dining hall and left us to finish filling up the entire tree with thousands of knickknaks.

I was too submerged trying to finish out all the decorating shit when Armin suddenly mumbled under his breath that had me stopped all of a sudden from my decorating. "I never thought that it's nice to work and decorate with you Heichou." I raised my head and looked at him and he smiled at me like he usually does but now at this close, I felt it to be very genuine.

My expression didn't changed of course, but I did acknowledge him and nodded instead. Mikasa then turned out all of a sudden, each of her hand holding a plate full some potatoes and some other vegetables and Eren came after her, same with each hand holding out a plate. Armin came to them and took the plates from their hands and gave the other to me.

Eren sat on the floor, just right near the tree and Armin placed his plate beside him. I looked down to him and he looked some kind of baby waiting to be fed but tapped the floor and I felt like I should sit there too. Well, I have no choice but to place my ass there and made myself comfortable as I could.

Garh. This is killing me. I never even thought of this happening to me and shit. Chopping down some tree for Christmas the eating out with these kids on the floor? No words. Though I could really feel the warmth inside of me, but it's still annoying.

Mikasa was about to sit, she suddenly stopped half way and said "we forgot about the drinks Eren." And Eren looked at her in shock.

"I can get it! Come Mikasa!" Armin suddenly yelled out and grabbed Mikasa's hand and run again towards the hall.

Eren turned his head to look at me slowly and I could see how his hand shakes. The kid always finds himself scared whenever he is alone with me and I smirked. "You masturbate a lot Jaeger?" I didn't laughed but in the inside, I am already dying laughing. He should learn how to loosen up sometimes.

His eyes dropped to the floor and his other hand cupping the other just to stop it from shaking. He looked even more scared at first, maybe my joke was actually right? I'm not much of a joker but I didn't mean to expose the kid though. I started to take a few of my mashed potatoes, and it just taste great and hot, fucking perfect for the cold weather, enough to somehow keep me warm. I managed to put some more on my mouth, tasting the luscious taste of it on my taste buds.

After what seemed like a few minutes, Eren finally laughed with a weird grin on his face and I just stared at him, wondering why he just reacted a bit later than expected or maybe he processed my words late in his brain? Funny ass kid-turning-titan.

He opened his mouth, about to say something I guess when Mikasa together with Armin arrived with a few glasses in each hands and I am so relieved when Armin handed me a cup of tea, the very thing that I have been longing for this entire afternoon and I wondered why i was not even able to get it.

Once he gave it to me, I had my nose smell its pure great smell along my nose and sipped it. Its hot and appetizing taste entered my mouth then to my throat. Now I love life. Nothing beats like a great cup of hot tea.

Armin and Mikasa settled down and ate with us. Mikasa stopped and nudged Eren by the elbows, asking him what was wrong when in the inside, I am already laughing, perfectly knew why he was acting all weird all of a sudden and shit. Armin in the mean time glanced at the mighty tree just beside us, looking at it with amazed eyes.

"I looks so beautiful" he mumbled as I swallowed some more potatoes on my throat. I can't believe why he gets easily amazed by some high decorated, lighting tree. "It's all worth our efforts" he added. Mikasa and Eren looked at him and a smile crept to their faces. I wonder if the both of them are aware that they both had those smile on their faces.

"thanks or your help, Heichou" Armin told me and smiled genuinely.

I've got to be honest, I my eyes softened at him and nodded in return, feeling his words to myself a bit touching, knowing that I can actually make some kids feel happy and contented just by helping them in such very little thing, having the same warmth as the mashed potatoes sliding down my throat and when I finally emptied my mouth and drank a few from my tea, I ruffled his hair a bit and he and the two looked at me in surprise, Eren stopping with mouth opened and I can see a few inside his mouth which is very gross while Mikasa had her fork left on her mouth, still holding it and Armin just froze. Seriously, was it something wrong to do?

"Anytime, Artlert." Somehow, my words were enough to break the ice as Mikasa now slowly removed the fork from her mouth and Eren closed his mouth and continued chewing his food. Armin smiled warmly again, removing his previous scared half amazed-half-surprised look in his eyes. No doubt Hanji had a liking of this kid a lot. Very grateful and very eager to be of help to everyone and just so easily amazed and grateful of little things. Speaking of her, I hope she too is having a great time as I do.

We continued to eat in silence but I can't help bowing my head, focusing on my food just to hide my desired smile and hold laughter underneath everytime one of this kids will look at how amazing the Christmas tree had been set up.

I never knew that decorating can be really warming in the heart.

-x-

Okay, first of, I am deeply sorry for the delay of this chapter. No editing or double proofing some shit here since I hurriedly made this. Exams came and finishing of requirements added since it we had our finals week so we were kinda bit busy. This chapter was supposedly posted last October 16th yeah but got pretty late. and I fear that I wasn't really had thought of this part pretty well.

I still hope this chapter was okay. I am hoping to post the next chapter hopefully this week. The next chapter was supposedly posted in the 31st but I'll do my best to follow it up this week.

See yah in the next chapter and reviews are wildly welcome and encourage. :

Hope everyone had an amazing halloween!

And Happy All Souls Day!

ladyinblack